The Serpent King and His Queen Of Fire
by rocketshippergirl
Summary: Dark times are approaching, people are disappearing, Voldemort is back. We've heard it all before. Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like if Draco Malfoy had someone on his side? Meet Ember Thorn, the witch of fire. She's the only one who will sacrifice everything to secure his well-being. That includes risking her life to assist him in his mission: to kill Dumbledore
1. Shrouded In Darkness

If you had been at platform nine and three-quaters on September 1st at about 10:50, you would never have noticed two sixteen year olds standing by a pillar and arguing quietly. Their families stood by the boarding area, two women, for their husbands could not attend, due to unspoken circumstances. The two mothers were waving goodbye to a girl who was about fifteen, with raven black hair, dark brown eyes, and pale skin, who went by the name of Raven. Her elder sibling was one of the arguing teens that were standing apart from the rest of the crowd.

The two teens that were arguing went unnoticed by most of the people at the platform, which was a good thing, as the the teens would have drawn much attention, had they been noticed. One was a girl with black hair that had a very slight green tint to it, hazel-green eyes, pale-ish skin, and was only a few inches shorter than the young man she was talking to. The young man had white-blonde hair, grey eyes, and his skin was paler than the young woman seen speaking with him. He this certain arrogant and narcissistic aura emitting faintly from his person, while the woman gave off a dangerous type of vibe.

The girl was using her hands to talk, and by the look on her face, she was very distraught and worried. The boy seemed to be trying to avoid eye contact with her, but she would not let him. They were not dressed in their school robes, but in regular clothing, though they would, of course, have to change into school robes once they got to school. The blonde wore an all black suit and tie, a Slytherin house ring on his right ring finger, and you could catch a glimpse of him running a pale hand through his hair.

The girl had switched from an agitated and argumentative state, to a pleading one. She rolled up her sleeve a few inches, showing him something on her arm, before pulling it back down. His face seemed to pale even more and he asked her something, to which she nodded.

She wore an emerald green v-neck blouse, a black mini skirt, and open toed pumps. Around her neck was a Slytherin pedant and her earrings were simple, medium sized, silver hoops. On her left ring finger she wore a ruby ring, with a tiny silver snake wrapped around the gem. Her black hair was blowing a little as the train whistle sounded, alerting families of impending departure, and student passengers that they had five minutes left to board.

"Draco you can't be serious! I'm telling you, you have to listen to me. You can't do this on your own. It's too much, you aren't ready." the girl was saying, looking around at the clock. Their luggage had already been delivered to the Slytherin compartment on the train, so they weren't worried about that. Missing the train was more so the issue.

"I don't have a choice, Ember! I wanted to join them, to prove my loyalty. You can't help me, it isn't your mission. If I let you help me, and he found out, you could be killed." Draco spoke to the young woman, trying to make her see his side. He had known Ember for a long time, they had been dating since the end of fifth year, and he knew she wouldn't change her mind or give up on something. He didn't even know why he bothered sometimes.

"Look at me and ask me if I care. I don't care. I'm not going to let you go through this alone. That's not an option. You know that nothing you say, no matter how much you plead and beg, I won't change my mind." Ember insisted, before the train whistle blew again and they both stopped talking, making their way onto the locomotive, and down to their respective compartment. They took their seats across from Pansy, Blaise, and Raven, who was Ember's younger sister by a year.

Blaise and Raven had been going out since the beginning of Blaise's fifth year, and Raven's fourth year. Raven was older than most of her classmates, because she started school a year late, due to family issues. So, as a result, she was fifteen in her fourth year, and she was now in her fifth year, but she would turn sixteen later that year.

"Draco, you look a little...pale." Raven teased him, not aware of his current task, so she was understandably confused when her older sister gave her a scolding look. Blaise gave a snicker of amusement, and Raven grinned wickedly, glad that at least someone was laughing at her joke. Pansy, on the other hand, looked concerned. She pushed back some of her hair, letting the other half hang in front of her face, her arms folded on the table as she gazed at the couple sitting across from her.

"I can't believe I have to go to this pathetic excuse for a school for two more years. Well, I may not be back for next year." Draco wore his usual mask of disgust, hiding his anxiety and stress. Ember held his hand under the table, their fingers laced tightly together. He felt some reassurance that she was by his side, which was more than he could say for most of his so-called 'friends', who always said they were there for him, but when he actually needed them, they weren't.

"What do you mean you might not be coming back next year?" Pansy asked with confusion, looking at him with concern, while Raven and Blaise excused themselves, seeing that this was a conversation they didn't need to take part in. Draco just shrugged, looking out the window as Ember put her hand on his arm, but he jerked his arm away. After a few minutes of silence, Pansy got up and went to go join Crabbe and Goyle, having nothing else to do at the moment.

Once Pansy left, Ember turned to Draco, attempting to comfort him once more, but he gave a grunt of anger and pulled his hand from her grasp, leaving her annoyed. She grabbed his arm, her grip firm, signaling that she was not going to let go, no matter what he tried to do. She stood up, pulling him to an abandoned compartment near the back of the train, before she let go of him, her stance one of anger.

"I'm trying to help you, what the hell is your problem?" Ember hissed, her eyes narrowing as he glared at her, though he did not respond for a few minutes. She blew a lock of black hair out of her eyes as she waited impatiently for his response, her arms crossed over her chest.

"I told you before, I don't need your help! I don't need anyone's help! I can do it myself!" Draco stated stubbornly, clenching his fist and locking his jaw. He knew full well that he _couldn't _do it himself, and that he _did _need her help, but he was too prideful to admit it. He also knew that Ember wasn't the type to give up easily, nor would she let him do this alone. He admired her stubbornness, though it did get on his nerves at times. Like now, for example.

"Read my lips, Draco Lucius Malfoy. I don't care. You couldn't stop me, even if you wanted to. You of all people should know that once I've made up my mind, there's no changing it. Nothing will stand in my way. Your cries and pleas are falling on deaf ears, Draco. I've made my decision. I will protect you. I made a vow, and I will not break it." Ember remained unmoved by his defiance, her jaw locked as she looked him in the eye, glaring at him.

"Why? Why would you even risk your life for me?" his tone changed, no longer full of anger, but more so curiosity and concern. He didn't know why anyone would risk their life for him, what would they gain from that? Though he had never really had anyone say that they would give their life for him before.

"Why? Why would I risk my life for you? Well that's a stupid question. It's because I love you. That's why. I'd die for you. There's nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you. Because I love you, and I want you to be happy." Ember looked at him as if he had asked her the most ridiculous question ever, which he had.

Draco looked surprised at her sudden declaration of love for him, for he had never really heard anyone say that, and mean it. It also wasn't in her nature to be so blunt about such a superficial idea. Well, it was in her nature to be _blunt_, but not about something as useless as love. Then again, she always was keeping him on his toes with her dual personalities. Ember always had something up her sleeve, she always had a back up plan. That was something that Draco admired about her, for always being able to be prepared for anything. His face morphed back into a pensive expression, before he pushed past her and returned to his seat.

Ember growled slightly as she followed him, blowing a piece of black hair out of her eyes once more, taking her seat next to him. The tension between them seemed to have lessened, though the girl's face still had the mixed expression of pain and worry. The train began to slow down gradually, giving the passengers the cue to change into their school robes and gather their things. Both the blonde and the black haired female got up, heading towards the back of the Slytherin compartment to grab their trunks. No one paid any mind to a shadowy presence by the entry way of the carriage, and so everyone began to panic when the whole compartment was plunged into darkness. Commontion insued, and a couple girls let out small shrieks of fear.

Ember put her hand on Draco's arm, feeling his posture stiffen as he looked around, slightly fear stricken. She rubbed his arm soothingly, taking advantage of the dark and kissing him softly, before pulling out her wand. The wand was fourteen inches long, though a bit unusual, as it was made of a combination of two types of wood, and two cores. The outer wood of the wand was made of ebony, the inner wood made of blackthorn, and the core was made of dragon heartstring, with a phoenix feather placed next to it. It was a very rare and strange combination of wand elements, but it suited the young woman, and she had Ollivander make it specially for her.

"Pyronymphica!" Ember uttered a spell that she had created, fire balls shooting from the unique wand, eating away at the darkness and then diminishing once the blackness left, making everyone relax. Well, almost everyone. Draco had turned his head away, facing the door that was close to where he and his girlfriend had stashed their luggage. His complexion was pale, and the skin pigment was a bit grey, his eyes full of fear as his body shook a little, which Ember felt underneath her fingers.

"Come on Draco, you should sit down, Ill get your trunk." Ember cooed softly, taking both of their trunks down with the help of Crabbe and Goyle. She rubbed her boyfriend's back, before taking a seat next to him and putting her arm around his shoulders. Their classmates had noticed his abnormal appereance, but one look from Ember made them divert their attention back to whatever they had been doing before. Ember squeezed his arm a little and put her hand on his leg, rubbing it gently. His eyes were vacant as he looked at the seat, but interlaced their fingers when she held his hand. She watched him take a shaky breath, seeing his chest rise and fall, and she forced him to lean on her shoulder.

The train came to a stop and everyone began to exit the compartments, Raven calling to her sister and saying she would grab Gotham, Ember's Australian Stumpy Cattle dog, whom was also the only pet Ember brought. Gotham was also a bit of a man hater, so she suited Ember very well. The canine was accustomed to the men in the Thorn family, as well as the Malfoy family, and Blaise, since Raven and him were dating. Anyone else she would attack or bark ferociously at, until Ember or Raven grabbed her.

"Didn't your mummy ever teach you that it's not polite to eavesdrop, Potter?" Ember spat, knowing that it was Harry who had caused the carriage to plunge into temporary darkness a few minutes before. She ripped the cloak off of him, looking down at him with a mixture of disgust and pity on her face, before yanking him off of the floor and shoving him into a seat. Harry was terrified of Ember, because he knew she was angry with his behavior, and no one wants an angry Ember Thorn. So it wasn't exactly a surprise when she made no move to help him when Draco slung him on the floor and crushed his nose. "You so much as breathe a syllable of anything that happened in this room, and I _will _kill you. Understand?" Ember looked down at him, pulling him up and ushering him out of the train, her and Draco following suit with their luggage, after the girl gave Harry his. Once Harry had disappeared into the fog and onto the path that led up to the castle, Ember glanced at Draco and offered her hand.

"Like I said, you'll never be alone, because you've got me, and I'll always be by your side." Ember promised, kissing him softly, and filled the small moment of serenity with a passionate kiss. Both of them knew it could be their last kiss, for either of them could be killed by Voldemort without a second thought.

"I love you." a whisper of these three words was spoken by the female, and it was softly echoed by the male, before the words floated away in the wind as they began their trek up to the castle.

* * *

**Hello long first chapter! Seven pages long, dear god. And here I am finishing it at 1:00 am. I really really hope you guys enjoy this story. I promise that it will be better than the last Draco and Ember story I made ("You Play With Fire You Will Get Burned"). Im really looking forward to writing more chapters, and I also hope you enjoy learning about the mysterious Ember Thorn. Comments and favorites always make my day, so if you guys could do one or the other, I would be super super grateful. I need to stop rambling and actually go to bed. Oh! One last thing! This story ****_will _****get updated more frequently, I promise. Again, hope you guys enjoy it!**


	2. Demons

Once the couple reached the Great Hall, after some detainment from Flitwick at the castle gate, they took their seats on the long wooden benches beside their classmates. Raven whispered to her sister that she had given Gotham to Hagrid, making Ember nod, waving her hand in a dismissive manner. Raven knew by the look on her sister's face that Ember had a lot on her mind, but Raven had no idea what. Leaving her sister to her own thoughts, Raven turned her attention back to the Headmaster, who was just starting to give his speech.

"The very best of evenings to you all. First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn. Professor Slughorn, I'm pleased to say, has agreed to return to his old post as Potions master. Meanwhile, the Defense Against The Dark Arts position, will be taken by Professor Snape.

As you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival tonight, and you have the right to know why. Once, there was a young man, who, like you, sat in this very hall. Walked this castle's corridors, stepped under it's roof. Seemed to all the world, a student, like any other. His name, Tom Riddle. Today, of course, he is known all over the world by another name. Which is why, when I stand looking out over all of you tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon, is you. Just something to think about. Now off to bed, pip pip!" Dumbledore concluded his speech, his words sinking in to every student as they made their way to their dorms.

"Hey, let's go to the common room, sit by the fire or something. Come on." Pansy suggested to her friends, getting a murmur of agreements from most of her friends, with the exception of Ember and Draco, who stayed in their seats as the rest of the students vacated the Hall. Pansy raised an expectant eyebrow at the couple, but when she saw that they were not coming to join her and the others, she followed everyone else out, leaving the two alone.

Ember stood up slowly, glancing up at the table where the staff was seated, capturing Snape's gaze. She quickly broke it and looked back down at Draco, offering her hand to him, which he somewhat reluctantly took, standing up. She glanced back at Snape once more, before she followed Draco out of the Great Hall and into the mostly deserted corridor. There were a few students here and there, some huddled in corners and sharing sweets, others snogging behind pillars.

Draco watched the students talk softly, probably about their summers, and he envied some of them for being able to enjoy being back at school, despite the looming darkness that seemed to be slowly creeping into the atmosphere. He let go of Ember's hand, putting both hands in his pockets, his posture stiff and mind sharp. He knew that he had to fix the vanishing cabinet, and had gotten the idea from Montague, a Slytherin who had told his fellow classmates about his incident with the magical object. Unfortunately, Draco was unaware of how long it would actually take to fix, and that would provide an obstacle in his plans.

Ember watched him curiously, not moving to hold his hand again when he let go. She just walked beside him, before they took the stairs down to the dungeons, where the Slytherin common room was located. She spoke the password, before watching the door swing open, revealing the common room and student dorms. The couple took their seats by the fire, the hearth beckoning them to seek comfort in the plush chairs that faced the flames. Ember waved her hand and the flames burned brighter, turning different colors for a few minutes. Draco just stared into the fire place, his wand on his lap as he put his hand under his chin, his elbow resting on the decorative arm of the chair.

"Im going to go to bed, are you going to stay down here?" Ember said quietly, standing up from the chair and kneeling down next to him, her hand on his arm. She moved her hand to his, stroking the top of it with her thumb, watching the fire crackle and cause shadows to flicker about on the wall. She slipped her fingers through his and let her elbow rest on the arm of the chair, holding their hands upright.

"I might as well retire for the night, staring at these flames until morning long is hardly going to do me any good." Draco shrugged, sounding bored, though Ember knew the tone was more contemplative than bored. She watched him stand, which made her rise as well, looking up at him with expectancy, as if awaiting his next move. Though he was a good four inches taller than her, standing at 5'9 and she herself was 5'5, he didn't seem to intimidate her in the way that most people would expect. Rather, it was the exact opposite. He was just as much afraid of her as he was loving her, which helped keep their relationship balanced, on his side at least. For her, it was her utter devotion and loyalty to him, along with understanding. All of these factors were the reason that their relationship was so strong, and almost unbreakable.

"Goodnight Draco. Try to get some sleep, please. I don't want you laying awake and stressing over the mission, as hard as that may seem." Ember whispered, leaning up and gently kissing him. She closed her eyes once more, before wrapping her arms around his neck, tilting her head. It was the sort of kiss that you give when you say goodbye, or when you greet a lover after being away from them for a long time. The kiss of loss, of longing, of true and powerful love.

Draco's arms went around her waist as he tilted his head also, holding her tightly against his body. His side of the kiss was sort of like an apology, where hers was like one of acceptance. He was apologizing for actions he hadn't made yet, and things he would do, that might hurt her. She was conveying that she understood, even if she didn't care, for she knew the risks, but ignored them. The common room was empty, as it was probably around midnight or so, leaving the two lovers to a moment of silence and peace, the latter being something that would be very rare from the next day onward.

They broke apart, almost in slow motion, before the girl retracted her arms and placed them at her side. She turned away, making her way up to her dorm room, with one last gaze at the young man. She gave him a small smile, a little glimmer of hope, which then reminded Draco of another reason that he loved her. She was his hope, his anchor, even if she herself didn't know it. He watched her vanish into the blackness behind the doorway, and made his way into the darkness of the boys' dorm. They were between light and dark, both of them, and eventually, they would have to pick a side. He only hoped that they would pick the same one. He would rather walk with her in the dark, than be alone in the light. But for now, they were on the thin line that was the separator, and walking it's narrow path slowly, because one misstep could tumble both of them into the abyss of shadows.


	3. Imaginary

Light filtered through the lake water outside the dormitory and common room, a slow and peaceful awakening for those who were not fond of mornings. The lapping against the glass windows was what awoke the young woman from her slumber, though her sleep had been far from peaceful.

All night long she had nightmares, but they weren't the usual sort. She kept seeing faces flashing across her mind, like a fast moving deck of cards, snippets of unfamiliar settings, and the silence of the dream would be pierced by the sound of a woman or child screaming. Then she would awaken, and see wet splotches on her pillow, where tears had spilled from her multicolored orbs, having cascaded down her pale cheeks like a tiny stream. This was not the first time the nightmares had happened, however. They had been an ongoing occurrence, ever since the meeting with Voldemort that summer.

In her dreams, the only faces that she could briefly recognize were those of her mother, Dusk, Raven, her older sister, Elise, Elise's husband Richard (whom was a muggle), and Elise's two young daughters, Rachel and Grace. Ember also had seen Draco and his mother Narcissa, but no one else, not even Bellatrix, to whom Ember was quite close to. The rest of the faces were a blur, making the young woman even more uneasy about the nightmares, but she pushed the matter aside, as she had other things that were higher on her priority list. Such as Draco.

As it happened, the young man in question was getting ready for the day, and had made his way down to the common room once finished with his morning routine. Draco was not exactly the type to wait, but this was Ember, so it was a bit of an exception. Draco immediately knew something was off, because she was usually on time to meet him in the common room, when today she was later than was normal for her. It was already seven, and they had only half an hour to eat, as classes started at eight sharp. He was about to ask a fellow female classmate to go check up on her, but that ended up not being necessary, due to Ember appearing at the top of the stair case right when he opened his mouth.

"Sorry I'm late." Ember apologized, offering a small smile of pardon to her companion. She was wearing a black sleeveless dress that ended a little bit above her knees and her shoes were strappy black wedges. She wore the same ruby ring and Slytherin pendant necklace as the day before, but her earrings were silver tear drop ones instead of silver hoops. Her makeup was black eyeliner and red lipstick, but no eyeshadow. It was clear to Draco that she had made an effort to look good, even though it was evident that something was wrong.

"Let's get going." Draco said as he took her hand, leading her out from the dungeons, and up above sea level, so to speak. He kept his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to his body. They entered the Hall, taking their seats as quickly as they could. He studied Ember, noticing that her eyes were a little red, and it looked like she had been crying, which made him even more concerned.

Ember tore her gaze away from the blonde, fearing that she would begin to cry even more, for she saw the change that the stress from his mission had induced. The change was subtle, but it was there. Only a person close to Draco would have noticed it, or a person who was spying on him. Ember knew Harry was still intent on proving that Draco was a Death Eater, and that task in itself would have devastating effects, though of course Harry was unaware of this. Ember noted that Harry was unaware of quite a lot of things, such as how much stress Draco was already under, and if Harry kept it up, he would have a very angry Ember Thorn on his hands, and that was never a good thing.

"Hey Ember, this is for you. Someone from the Gryffindor table sent it over." Raven handed her sister a note written on parchment, and it turned out to be from the devil himself, Harry Potter.

"What does _he_ want?" Ember growled softly to herself, making sure Draco couldn't hear her, for he would surely inquire about the note. She tucked the paper into her bag, before giving Harry a death glare that would have made even Snape flinch. Speaking of Snape, she needed to talk with him, which she intended to do after their Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They had Potions first, which made the majority of the students cringe, since not many were fond of Slughorn. Though that may have been more so due to the fact that Professor Slughorn was so drastically different compared to Professor Snape. Snape was who the students were used to, and they knew what to expect from him. As for Slughorn, they knew nothing.

"Ember, are you alright?" Draco put his hand on her leg, looking worried when she jumped a little, for usually she was very composed. Something had happened during the night, something had scared her, and he wanted to know exactly what it was.

_"Im fine!"_ Ember snapped, though it wasn't anger, it was more like anxiousness. She gripped his hand tightly, forcing herself to stay strong, for on the inside, she felt like she was slowly falling apart. She could not fail him, she _would _not fail him. She had made a promise, and she was going to keep it, by any means necessary. Even at the cost of her own life.

"Don't snap at me, I just asked you a question." Draco hissed coldly, but it did not sound as malicious as it normally would have. He was changing, and his simplistic view of the world was slowly fading away to reveal the cruel reality. He no longer felt as if he knew his father, his mother seemed to treat him as if he was still a child, and he had cut off most interactions with the majority of his classmates. The only other person Draco still truly cared for, and trusted impeccably, was Ember. To have her snap at him was strange and unsettling, for she was always kind and thoughtful to him. Well…most of the time.

"I'm sorry. Don't ask me what's wrong, I don't want to talk about it. Please." the girl said softly, looking faintly distraught, and that's when he finally came into realization. She was scared. Scared for him, for their relationship, their lives, and for their loved ones. Draco also got the feeling that his own stress was starting to take it's toll on her as well. He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding her eyes as they were dismissed for class.

"I'll see you in potions. I'm going to the dorm to get something." Draco told her, taking off for the Room Of Requirement. He pulled the blanket off of the large cabinet, tilting his head back to look at the furniture. He opened it, peering inside before he shut it, pondering for a moment. It didn't look broken at first glance, but when one looked at it a second time, reality adjusted and it really did seem in need of repair.

"I told you not to lie to me." a female voice spoke from behind him, making him jump slightly. He pivoted his body toward the speaker, letting a out a shallow breath of relief as he saw the speaker was Ember. He swallowed a little, knowing that she wasn't happy with him deceiving her about his whereabouts. He had no response to give, so he just waited to see what else she would say.

"You can't seem to comprehend the fact that _I am on your side_. I will not let you do this alone, and I'm getting tired of telling you that. Stop lying to me, stop trying to protect me, stop attempting to keep me in the dark, and _stop treating me like I am a defenseless little girl_!" Ember raised her voice, her tone lashing out at Draco like a bullwhip. She watched him wince, her eyes flashing with anger, though something was off.

"I don't want you to get hurt." Draco spoke in an unusually gentle tone, taking a few steps towards her, his face soft as he gazed down at the young woman, who looked like she was about to cry. Her expression had switched from anger to fear, something that the young man hardly ever saw. He tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and slowly opened his arms, offering her a hug. It was strange for him to show anything other than a smug or sneaky look, and only around her would he let his true feelings come out.

"I've been having nightmares. Terrifying ones, not the kind that you have as a kid. I wake up crying every night, because it feels so real. You're in them, as are some of my family members. I hear screaming from a woman or child, and I see blood on the ground, like someone's been killed or injured. I didn't want to tell you, you'd think I was mad, or being melodramatic. Besides, showing any emotion is a sign of weakness. Oh Draco, I'm so terribly frightened. Not for me, for you. I love you with everything I have, and I know that love can be used against me, which is why I rarely show it. But please, Im begging you, please be careful." Ember started to cry, hugging him tightly as she put her face in his chest.

"Ember. Ember look at me." Draco tilted her chin up, pulling her head towards his own and then connecting their lips slowly. He kept a tight grip on her, while her arms were around his back, their eyes closing. "I don't want you getting hurt, but I know that I can't change your mind when you say you will risk _your_ life for me. You are the most cunning, shrewd, ambitious, and bravest Slytherin that I have ever met. And also the most stubborn. Like you said, we'll get through this, together. I may be cold and cruel to others, but that behavior would never work on you, you know me too well." Draco told her, his slightly calloused hand stroking her hair. He kept his emotions stored away most of the time, but that didn't mean he didn't have any.

"Thanks, that means a lot coming from the Ice King." Ember said quietly, teasing him a little. She ran her fingers down his tie as she felt him stroke her hair, making her smile slightly.

"We should go or we'll be late for class." Draco sighed heavily, grabbing his bag and making his way down the moving staircases with Ember in tow. In all honesty, neither of them cared about the class, but it was necessary that they go anyway.

"Ah, Miss Thorn, Mr. Malfoy. I was beginning to worry." Slughorn said with his usual jovial persona, motioning the late comers in. Ember glanced at Hermione, who raised an eyebrow, but then turned back to the teacher. Ember took her spot by Draco, turning her head to face Slughorn, who was talking about love potions.

"Amortentia doesn't create actual love, of course. That's impossible. But it does cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. For that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room. Can anyone tell me the characteristics of it? Yes, Miss Granger?" Slughorn called on Hermione, who stepped up to the pot nervously.

"The love potion has a different aroma for everyone who smells it, reminding each person of the things they find most attractive, even if the person doesn't acknowledge or is unaware of their fondness for the object of their affections themselves. For example, I smell freshly mowed grass, new parchment, and spearmint toothpaste..." Hermione trailed off into a silence, making Ember look at her curiously. The latter quietly stepped up to the cauldrons, her mouth curling into a small smile as she glanced at Draco, motioning him up with her.

"I smell cinnamon, extra dark chocolate, honeysuckle, sage, green apples, black berries, sweat, tears, and... cologne." Ember explained, blushing very slightly as she spoke the last scent. She nodded her head to Draco, signaling for him to say what he smelled. He looked very reluctant, and maybe a little self-conscious, which she could tell by the pink in his cheeks.

"Dog fur, smoke from a campfire, lavender, roses, jasmine, pine, skin, blood, and... perfume." Draco managed to get out, looking a mixture of peeved and embarrassed. He stepped back into his position by his classmates, giving Harry and Ron a death glare, seeing their smirks. He stared coldly at his girlfriend, who gave him a dark grin.

"You see? Perfect demonstration. Well done!" Slughorn grinned, praising those who had stepped up. He then covered the love potion, moving to the cauldron in the center. "This is Draught of Living Death, anyone who can brew a perfect cauldron of it will receive this, Felix Felicis. Also called Liquid Luck. Drink this, and you will find that all your problems will be solved. At least until the effects wear off." Slughorn chuckled, showing off a tiny vial. He gestured to their books and ingredients, silently giving them permission to get started with the assignment.

Ember caught Harry looking at her, his eyebrow raised. She glared at him, looking up at Hermione, who seemed to be struggling, like the rest of the class. Ember tried her best to help her classmates, biting her lip to keep from laughing at Seamus, who's potion had blown up in his face. Again.

By the time class had ended, only Harry and Ember had managed to concoct a good enough potion to receive the prize. Ember did not expect Slughorn to give her the reward, for her attempt at the assignment wasn't as nearly as good as Harry's. To her surprise, not to mention to most of the others' too, Slughorn gave her a second vial.

"Well done, both of you! I would like to speak with both of you after class, along with Miss Granger and Mr. Zabini." Slughorn congratulated the winners, beckoning to the group of four that he had selected to speak with. Ember was torn between making up an excuse to not stay after, in order to accompany Draco to wherever he may go, or to stay after. Reluctantly, she preformed the latter, standing in front of the teacher and folding her arms across her chest, looking impatient.

"I would like to invite all of you to attend a club that I have created, only a hand full of selected students make it in, of course." Slughorn said cheerily, his eyes focusing on Harry, even though he was addressing the others. Ember rolled her eyes and tapped her foot on the stone floor, glancing impatiently at the door, itching to leave and go find Draco. She dug her nails into her robe sleeve, her eyes narrowed, foot still tapping on the floor, and the sound continued until Slughorn looked up at her. "Yes, Miss Thorn? Do you have somewhere to be?" he asked curiously, sounding a bit oblivious.

"Actually, yes. I do have somewhere else I have to be. So if you will excuse me, I'll be going now. Thank you." Ember said coolly as she turned on her heel and swept out of the room, her cloak billowing behind her. She had her next destination in mind: find Professor Snape.


	4. Her Unbreakable Vow

Ember made her way to the DADA room, ignoring anyone who acknowledged her presence. She swallowed, feeling a tear slide down her cheek, and she ducked her head to hide the fact that she was crying. Once she got to the classroom she stopped in the doorway and composed herself, before opening the door slowly.

"...Counter-jinxes can do just as much harm as the spells they are meant to oppose- Miss Thorn, don't you have a class to be attending? I'm sure Professor Trelawney is waiting for you." Snape cut himself off as he turned to face the girl, showing no emotion outwardly, though he must have felt something on the inside, for the girl was distraught, even though she tried hard to hide it. He raised an eyebrow when she did not move, nor respond to his question, and went back to finish teaching.

Ember leaned against the wall next to the doorway, watching the fifth years (including her sister) file out of the classroom, and she couldn't help but laugh a little at their mumblings and groans about the homework Snape had given them. She looked up when Snape's shadow was cast on the stone floor, following him inside the room when he gave her a curt nod. The girl walked along the row of desks and then took a seat on the wooden stool that was next to Snape's desk, looking him in the eye, giving him her full attention as she began to explain why she had come.

"Professor, you remember when I came with Aunt Bellatrix and Narcissa to see you, don't you?" Ember started off slowly, referring to Bellatrix as her "Aunt" because Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Ember's mother, Dusk, had been friends for a long time. Not because she was related to Bellatrix, because she wasn't. "Narcissa and you made the Unbreakable Vow, sir, and I watched. What you didn't see was that right after we left, I made one with Narcissa. Draco means everything to me, Professor, and I can't let him do this, he's just a boy. I love Draco, just as much as you loved Lily." Ember continued to explain, swallowing a lump in her throat, wiping tears that had not yet fallen, away from her eyes.

"You wish to learn Occlumency, Miss Thorn? Am I correct in assuming that that is the reason you came to see me?" Snape peered at her with his cold demeanor, though on the inside he understood how she felt. He was greatly surprised that such a young witch of her age had made the Unbreakable Vow, for that in itself was a sign of true loyalty and devotion. However, he sensed that there was another reason that she had come to see him, other than Occlumency. "Was there any other reason you came to seek my help?" he prompted her, making her nod slowly.

"Ever since the meeting, I've been having terrible, terrible nightmares. I see my mother, my two sisters, my nieces, my brother-in-law, Narcissa, and Draco. There are other faces that I don't recognize, and right before I wake up, there's always a woman or child screaming. There are places in my dreams, places I can't identify. And there's always blood on the ground, staining the cobblestone, wherever it is." Ember spoke softly, now looking at her hands. No words were spoken in the minutes that followed, for the professor was thinking, and Ember was trying to keep a composed expression. "I will teach you, but we will start next week. I have my reasons." Snape stood, dismissing the girl, who nodded slightly and left the classroom.

Ember grabbed the edge of a wall as she turned around the corner of the empty corridor and made her way to where the Room of Requirement was. The Vanishing Cabinet came into view once she slipped into the secret room behind the wall, her eyes scanning the chamber for Draco.

"Draco? Sweetheart?" Ember called out, her voice full of worry, motions quick but careful as she maneuvered around all the crap that was in the room. "Draco! Are you in here?" Ember tried again, getting more anxious as she looked for him. She spun around when she heard the door open behind her, a soft clicking of dress shoes resounding throughout the room as she began to walk towards the sound. She spotted a figure, a lock of blonde catching her eye, making her rush over to the person. "Draco! Oh thank god." Ember exclaimed in relief, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly, her chin in his shoulder and face in his neck.

"Ember? What the hell-?" Draco grunted in surprise, his arms instinctively wrapping around her. He was confused as to why she was so relieved to see him all of a sudden, because even though they both loved each other quite a lot, they didn't exactly show it. After a few minutes of being locked in the embrace, the young man finally figured the best way to get her off was not to ask her politely, but to physically remove her from him in an impolite way. An example of which resulted in him grabbing her shoulders and ripping her arms away from his neck and shoving past her.

"What the fuck?" the swear word spewed from the girl's mouth in a moment of anger. She followed him and took hold of his arm, stopping him from his examination of the Vanishing Cabinet. "Look at me. Hey! I said, _look at me._" Ember demanded his attention as she grasped his face in her hand, forcing his chin to rest in her palm._ "Take it easy."_ Ember growled at him, looking him in the eye.

"Im sorry." Draco said softly, heaving a reluctant sigh, feeling her hand leave his face. It was strange for the young man to be the one apologizing, when usually it was someone apologizing to him. When it came to the girl right in front of him though, he would say sorry with ease, for he didn't want to tick her off.

"Potter can't seem to keep his mouth shut when it comes to you. I think he's jealous of your relationship with that apple you always carry around." Ember remarked dryly, her words teasing. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled a Zippo lighter out of her bag, and thumbed the tiny metal wheel, making a flame sputter to life. The girl held her hand over the flame and curled her fingers in a little, slowly lifting her hand up and dragging the flames with it, forcing them to change colors and to expand when she willed it. "Fire is always fascinating to me, simply because it is always changing, always growing. It brings about destruction, warmth, power, pain, and passion. That's what I'm made of." Ember spoke quietly, before snapping her fingers and extinguishing the flame.

Draco made no comment, he only listened. He watched her move her hand, his eyes slowly drifting away and quickly scanning up and down her figure. The black dress clung to her body, making him smirk slightly as his eyes lingered a little _too_ long over her breasts and hips, which resulted in Ember slapping him across the face. "OW! What was that for?!" Draco held his cheek, rubbing his jaw as he scowled at her.

"Quit staring at me! Your eyes stayed on me longer than was appropriate!" Ember snapped, before she put lighter back in her school bag, turning to face him again. She shook her head in disgust and scoffed a little as he pulled her against his chest, using her wrist and catching the girl by surprise. Ember's eyes widened as he leaned down and kissed her roughly, almost hungrily. It was strange for him to be acting this way, for neither of them were normally this passionate.

"Don't struggle. Just let me take you in every way I wish. I promise you'll enjoy it." Draco whispered in her ear, making her blush a little, but she pulled away again, yanking her wrists from his grip. He growled unhappily at her, which made her slap him again, this time a little harder. "Why are you being such a bitch? I just want to touch you, what's the harm? You're supposed to be my girlfriend!" Draco yelled slightly at her, glaring at the woman as she gripped his arms tightly.

"You aren't aware of what you're saying. Someone gave you a love potion, but it's effects are altered, so it's more like lust and not love. Come on, let's get you to Slughorn." Ember ordered sharply, dragging him behind her as she walked down the hall, only being detained when Draco would pin her to the wall and try to kiss her. She always got out of these holds, but it was slowly starting to get annoying. By the time she got to the classroom they were both furious with each other for different reasons. Ember knocked on the door and watched Slughorn slide the window latch open. "Sorry to bother you professor, but I was wondering if I might request your assistance in a certain subject manner." Ember gave him a charming smile.

"Of course. Please, come in!" the jovial man opened the door for his student, watching her drag Draco Malfoy in behind her. He gestured for them to sit down on the sofa, leaning against a wooden table behind him. "Now, what can I do for you two?" he smiled, looking between the two. However, his smile soon faded as the dark haired girl exhaled a soft breath of air, giving him a very vague and unsettling answer.

"Draco's been poisoned, professor."


	5. Fire and Ice

"Poisoned?" Slughorn asked in disbelief, skin pale. The teacher saw nothing wrong with the boy, other than signs of stress, which Slughorn assumed was the result of too much school work.

"Love potion. Well, sort of. It's more like a lust potion, but same idea." Ember explained, eyeing Draco warily, watching for any suspicious movements. When she felt that he was not going to try anything, she gave her teacher her full attention.

"He looks perfectly normal to me, I can't find anything wrong with him. The usual telltale signs of the potion are not there. Perhaps you were mistaken." the professor informed the girl, who's jaw clenched a little and her gaze hardened, her irises shrouded with actual shards of ice, but pupils alight with a burning fire, actually sparking and crackling once in a while.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm sorry to have bothered you. We'll be going now." Ember forced a polite smile as she exited through the wooden door, a smirking Draco following. Though his smirk disappeared after the door shut behind them, when Ember slapped him across the face. "You fucking little asshole!" she growled, absolutely livid with what he had done. "Perhaps you may have forgotten, but I _happen_ to be your _girlfriend_!" Ember snapped, her elemental eyes flashing, the ice melting away from the fire that now surrounded the whole of each orb.

"I remember, thank you. You think Pansy would have let me do something like that?" Draco snapped back, his gaze cold as he rubbed his face. He always forgot how hard she could hit, and unfortunately, he would always get a reminder every once in a while.

"I'm certain she would! You disgust me!" Ember lashed out, the true fury in which her words were said hit Draco at full force. She felt the bitter taste leave her mouth as she spoke those three words, but there was no taking them back now. All she could do was wait for his response.

"I disgust you? _**I**_ disgust _you_?" Draco spat, taking a few steps closer, faces inches apart. "You're just mad because I made you look like a fool in front of Slughorn, and because I mentioned Pansy. You're a jealous bitch, and you're _pathetic_." Draco continued, his words hitting home and it was like a switch had been turned off in both of them. The close proximity of their bodies, the hot breath shared between them, and the words echoing in each other's minds made them step back and take a good long look at the other.

There were times in their relationship, rare as they were, where their signature elements clashed like violent waves of a sea storm against jagged rocks of a cliff. Both of their bases, fire and ice, were opposites. His heart was as cold and sharp as his pale blue eyes, and her temper was as deadly as the fire magic that came from her wand, but both did the other good. She melted the ice that surrounded his heart, while he quenched the burning anger that she held inside. The anger was kept bottled up, and she forced the cork on the bottle, but once in a while, a few sparks would escape and something from the outside world would set them off, like a sparker or a stick of dynamite. This was one of those times.

After staring at each other for a few minutes, Ember's fists unclenched and her posture became more relaxed. Her eyes lost their hardness as the ice and fire melted away. She watched as the young man lowered his head a little, and he leaned against the stone window, slouching. Neither of them spoke a word, the chemistry between them dissipating and floating away with the wind, just like that.

Ember placed her hand on the flat surface of the stone archway which overlooked the castle grounds, her head bowed down slightly. She glanced sideways at Draco, seeing him toss a green apple up a few inches and then catch it, seemingly lost in thought. She knew that it was her job to apologize, or they would be sitting in silence for who knows how long. "I'm sorry." she spoke quietly, turning her head to face him, eyes averted.

"I accept your apology." Draco replied, equally as quiet. He ran his fingers through his pale hair, tousling it a little bit as he loosened the gel that usually kept it slicked back. He had been letting himself go as of late, appearance wise. He made an effort to dress nice, but some days he hardly brushed his hair or put on the right pullover sweater. In the moment of silence that had just occurred, he noticed that Ember had also let herself go. Normally she would have worn more makeup, or curled her hair slightly, just little things. The task of killing Dumbledore was taking it's toll on her more than he had originally thought, and he felt like a fool for not seeing it sooner. Fighting in their current condition wasn't going to help, and it probably never would.

"Most people would apologize back, but then again, I suppose you're not most people." Ember cracked a slight smile, putting her arm around him and pulling him into her side, his head resting on her shoulder. She put her head on his and rubbed his arm, sighing heavily, her eyes gazing at the stone wall in front of her. She lifted her head when she heard footsteps on the stone floor, her wand at the ready.

"Ember! Are you here?" a smooth and light voice bounced off the walls, making the girl tuck her wand away and stand, her arm falling away from Draco's shoulders. It was her sister, Raven, and the slightly heavier steps accompanying her sister's were those of a male, which Ember guessed belonged to her brother, Basil, for they were too light to be Blaise's.

"Yes, what is it?" Ember walked into her sister's line of sight, and sure enough, their brother was with her.

Basil was the second eldest and also the tallest of the Thorn siblings, standing at 6'0, but he wasn't done growing yet. Ember was older than her brother by a few months and was 5'5, the same height as her eldest sister, Elise, who was twenty-five. Raven, being the youngest, was 5'4, and hated being short, so she often wore heels or dressed in ways that would make her seem taller.

"The first trip to Hogsmeade is in a few weeks, can we go?" Raven asked eagerly, grinning brightly as Basil shifted in his stance and gave a little smile to his sister, and a slight nod of acknowledgment to Draco.

"Did Mum or Dad sign the form?" Ember raised an eyebrow, getting a sheepish look from Raven as she looked at her feet. The youngest stayed quiet for a few minutes, before she shook her head no, making Basil roll his eyes and snort.

"Raven, you should know the answer by now." Ember began, her tone reproachful, making Raven mumble something dejectedly. "Go get the form." Ember smiled kindly, making Raven's head shoot up and a broad grin formed on her lips.

"Thank you Ember!" Raven grinned as she turned to go, but then stopped, facing her sister. "And sis, remember what Mum always said, 'when fear cripples you, when death's dark shadow surrounds you, drop a rose. It will help you stay alive.' " Raven spoke, making Ember nod, and even though no rose would help with what she and Draco had to do, she still appreciated the advice all the same.

"That's right, the undead can't cross the twig of a wild rose." Ember said softly, making Basil roll his eyes and snicker again.

"_That, _is what happens when you read too much goth chick lit." Basil took a jab at both of his sisters, though the remark made Draco smirk a little.

"Shut up." Ember growled, her eyes flickering with tiny flames, making her brother shrug and take a step back, for she was as unpredictable as her element.

"Basil, if you had any less sense, you'd be half a penny! Now shut your goddamn mouth." Raven snapped, grabbing his arm and dragging him back down the corridor, leaving Ember and Draco to themselves once again.

The witch offered her hand to Draco, and there was a flicker of hope on his face for a moment, before it disappeared. He looked down at her, noticing that she lacked her usual glow, and that there were dark circles under her eyes from those many sleepless nights.

"Nothing's going to ever be the same again. We're fighting a losing battle." Ember said softly, before she began the walk back to the Common Room, for they had some time before dinner.

"Promise me something, Ember. Promise me that when the time comes to complete the mission, you'll leave if things get out of hand." Draco held her shoulders tightly as he made her look up at him.

"I can't promise that." Ember spoke quietly, keeping their eye contact steady.

"Why not?"

"Because I swore to protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow." Ember finally admitted the truth to him, watching as his expression morphed into one of great surprise and shock.

"What good will that do you? You gain nothing but a heavy burden from that choice." Draco spoke bitterly, a disgusted look on his face.

"But we walk together, and if we walked apart, we would not be without our love. Love can release us all from the power of darkness. Our love is stronger than death. _Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light._" Ember gave a small smile, speaking the words of their Headmaster, which ended the conversation with wisedom and cruel irony. But there was once again a flicker of hope on the boy's face, and this time, it was also on the girl's. It was as if they had finally found something to believe in.

They _did _have something to believe in. They had what Voldemort didn't, they had what he could never grasp. They had their love.


	6. Attention

_**NOTE:**_ I'm making some major edits and moving some stuff from the fourth chapter "Her Unbreakable Vow" to the upcoming 6th chapter for the sake of the sequential order. So it will probably be a bit repetitive for those who have read all of the story so far.


	7. I'll Stand By You

September passed by without much incident, but soon October arrived, and perhaps it was the evil and spookiness that came with the month that made a select few uneasy. October 12th was the day of the trip to Hogsmeade for the first time that year, and every student was excited to go. When you're cooped up in a castle for the majority of the time, it's nice to get out and socialize with people not of the student body, or socialize without the worry of being overheard by teachers.

Draco's mission had only just started, but he was already beginning to crack, and those close to him could see it, though many of them did not know the reason, except one. Ember still held her ground when arguments erupted between her and Draco, for he wanted her to be free of the burden of helping him with his task, but either because she had made the Unbreakable Vow, or because she was just extremely loyal to him, or maybe even both, she refused to let him do it alone.

"I'm going to the Three Broomsticks with Raven and Basil, just to make sure they don't get into any trouble. Also, I'm going to speak with the Golden Trio, there's something I need to discuss with them. You go on, I'll join you when I finish." Ember encouraged Draco to go ahead and do what he needed to do, and watched as he reluctantly obeyed. She turned around, making her way down to the courtyard and started her trek to the village. She kept a firm hand on Raven's shoulder, while only keeping an eye on her brother, who had the tendency to wander.

Once the older girl had seen to it that her brother and sister were with their friends, she quickly went to join Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Harry!" she hissed, trying to capture his attention as she slipped past other customers. Her call reached the ears of the trio, making them turn around in their seats.

"Hey Ember." Hermione said politely, scooting over so Ember could sit down next to her. Harry offered a smile while Ron just nodded, glancing over at Ginny and Dean with an annoyed look. "Here, why don't you order yourself a Butterbeer or something, you look like you need to relax." Hermione suggested, making the dark haired beauty nod and go over to the counter.

"What do you think she wants? She looks troubled by something, or at least a little worried." Ron commented, temporarily tearing his gaze away from his sister, glancing between Harry and Hermione, who both shrugged.

When Ember returned, no one spoke about what they had been discussing previously. The three sixth years turned their attention to whatever she had wanted to speak to them about, which must have been serious, considering her grave expression.

"Harry, I'm going to tell you something that no one else knows, with the exception of some very few adults. Harry, Ron, Hermione, I'm a member of the Order of the Phoenix." Ember stated quietly, glancing behind her when the door opened and Malfoy entered silently, then disappeared among the crowd.

Her secret left the trio in a state of shock, for the adults in the Order had not told them about Ember, and the trio had thought she was a Death Eater. Snape was also in the Order, but no one believed Harry when he said that Snape was not to be trusted.

"Yes, you're surprised, as expected." Ember gave a small smile as she looked at their expressions. She tapped her nails on the glass she was holding, her lip between her teeth as she once again locked her eyes on the table. Harry could make out traces of where tears had fallen and where they wanted to fall, along with the expression of lost hope that she so often wore under the mask of determination.

"Ember, why are you telling _us_?" Harry asked curiously, for she really could have just not told them at all, or simply told someone else that she trusted. It didn't have to have been them.

"Because I needed to tell _someone_, and you three seemed like the only logical people. And it was also to say that you misunderstand Draco. Please Harry, don't be so hard on him. He's going through a rough time at home right now, and when he becomes stressed it makes _me_ stressed. I care very much for him, and it's hard to see him like this, so…... _dead_." she whispered the last word, a pained look carved onto her face, a single tear slowly rolling down her cheek.

"I don't trust him, Ember. He's vile and cruel and pathetic. Just like his father." Harry spat, making the girl shrug, though Hermione looked at Harry with an aghast expression, while Ron shrugged, though he seemed to be okay with Harry's opinion.

"I can't make you change your mind or opinion, all I ask is that you try to at least be civil and not so venomous. You don't know him like I do, Harry. He's not the person you think he is. And I know that you won't believe me, because of the fact that I'm his girlfriend and I'm supposed say stuff like this, and all that jazz. To agree with your theory would be lying, and I don't lie without a valid reason." Ember said firmly, before she felt a hand tap her shoulder, making her quickly spin around in fright.

"My apologizes Miss Thorn, I did not mean to startle you. I just wanted to congratulate you and Harry for the wonderful job you did in my potions class. I also wanted to invite you two, oh and you as well Miss Granger, to a little club of mine that only a select few get invited to." Slughorn smiled at his students, though he accidentally spilled some of his drink on Hermione. "Oh! Hands on deck Granger!" he said as he looked down at the girl, who forced a polite smile and nodded, using a towel to mop up her pants. "Be seeing you soon, Harry my boy." the heavyset man waddled off, leaving the four students to themselves once again.

"Here Hermione, let me." Ember stopped the other girl from cleaning up the spill. Hermione looked at Ember in confusion, before she felt her lap become dry and she looked very surprised, for Ember hadn't said anything or pulled out her wand, or even made a hand gesture.

"You've mastered non-verbal spells? When?" Ron asked curiously, making Ember smile a little. She opened her mouth to reply, but felt a hand on her shoulder for the second time that day, making her jump. She turned to see her sister and brother standing there, the youngest sibling smiling pleasantly. Ember exhaled heavily and slowly, before forcing a smile. "Yes?"

"Can we go shopping for Mum? It's her birthday this month, in case you forgot." Raven asked eagerly, making her older sister nod. "Thank you Ember! You're the best!" Raven quickly hugged her sister and ran off, which left Basil no choice but to follow.

"Sorry about that. She's just a kid, really. My brother usually watches her to make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble. When he's not around she usually spends the time with Blaise, who enjoys her company. I mean he should, seeing as how they're dating." Ember apologized for the interruption, as well as giving some info to the three about her family. "Anyway, you asked when I mastered non-verbal spells?" she repeated the question, getting a nod from Ron. "When I was fourteen, my fourth year at Hogwarts." she spoke with a slight smirk, watching them stare at her with mouths agape.

"Bloody hell Ember, not even Hermione could have done it at fourteen, and she's the smartest witch I know." Ron said with astonishment, complimenting Hermione in the process, making the latter blush a little and smile.

"It runs in my family, as well as some other talents." Ember explained, sipping her drink and nearly choking when yet another person tapped her shoulder.

"Sorry to startle you dear, but Mr. Malfoy said that he was looking for you." Madame Rosmerta spoke kindly to the girl, who forced yet another smile that masked an expression similar to that of a snake ready to strike.

"Thank you for letting me know." Ember nodded, but made no move to get up and find Draco, much to the surprise of her companions. "The next person who taps or puts their hand on my shoulder is going to get slapped, regardless of who they are." Ember muttered, making her friends chuckle.

"How come you aren't going to find Malfoy?" Harry asked curiously, making Ember shrug, a smirk on her face. She drank her Butterbeer, running her fingers through her hair.

"Don't need to. I'll find him when I feel like it. He knows how I work. If he desperately needs me, he just has to look. I'm not that hard to find. I stand out." Ember commented, making the others very confused. They exchanged looks before Hermione spoke up, voicing the question that the other two had been thinking. "Ember, you seem normal to me. Why do you say you stand out?" the brown haired witch asked, furrowing her eyebrows in curiosity.

"It's hard to explain, but the only way I can phrase it is that my name's not Ember just for the sake of sounding pretty. I **_AM_** fire. It's ironic that I'm known as the Fire Queen or Queen Of Flames, or whatever else, because Slytherin's element is water. Gryffindor has the element of fire. But the thing is, we're not so different, you and I." Ember's words were cryptic and the essence behind them was nothing short of obscure. Hermione, being who she was, pondered the meaning of the other girl's speech.

Ember watched the three try to figure out what she meant, a smirk dancing on her lips as she finished the last of her drink, which was lucky, because right after she took the cup away from her lips a hand was placed on her shoulder. She slammed the glass down on the wooden table, startling the others, and true to her word, spun around and slapped whoever had touched her, across the face.

"I have had it up to _here_ with this scaring! How about saying my name and not scaring the ever loving shit out of me! You have a mouth, use it! You better have a good reason for disturbing me or I swear to fucking god I will cut off your head and shove it up your ass!" Ember yelled at the person who had made the mistake of disturbing her, and was now taking a step back.

It was dead silent at that table, though everyone else in the inn was still carrying on with their conversations. Harry and his two friends were trying not to laugh as they stared at who Ember had screamed at. The girl finally took a good look at who had gotten the slap and verbal abuse, and slapped a hand over her own mouth.

"I keep forgetting how hard you can hit. Or how much of a temper you've got." Draco muttered, for he had been the one to receive the slap. He rubbed his jaw, the sting from the hand to cheek contact still lingering.

"You should know better than to scare me like that! I'm already on edge as it is!" Ember scolded him, her face pale with fright and eyes wild. She rubbed her arm nervously, shifting in her stance.

"You didn't need to slap me!" Draco argued back, letting his hand drop from his face and rest by his leg, his jaw set as he glared at the girl.

"I'm sorry, was I supposed to know that you were the one standing behind me? You could have just said my name!" Ember yelled back, defending herself.

"Maybe I like touching you!"

"Maybe you should have self control!"

"Maybe-!"

"ENOUGH!" Harry roared, cutting through the argument with his raised voice. The two turned to look at him, Ember raising her eyebrow and Draco glaring angrily, a scowl set on his face.

"Mind your own business, Potter!" the blonde spat bitterly, taking a step closer to Harry, but was pulled back by the arm before he could invade Harry's space any more than he already had.

"Draco, stop." Ember said sternly, her hand on his upper arm. She stepped in front of him and put her hand on his chest, the other hand still holding his arm. The young man looked down at her with disgust and yanked himself from her grip, turning on his heel and stalking out of the pub.

Ember quickly excused herself with an apology to the Golden Trio, following Draco out of the small building, leaving Harry and his friends bewildered.

"What the hell was that about?" Ron asked as they got up to leave, pulling on coats and scarves, and Hermione grabbed her wool hat, shrugging in response to Ron's question. They made their way up the snowy path, catching a glimpse of Ember and Draco talking behind Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop, and both of them seemed to be calmer now than before.

"Draco, what happened? What's going on?" Ember asked softly, cupping his cold cheek with her black gloved hand, her eyes slightly rounded with worry. Her breaths came in small puffs and the collision of hot air from their bodies and the frigid air of the outside created thin clouds that floated between the two. Her already pale face had turned white, and her ebony black hair contrasted greatly with the lack of skin pigment, giving her a supernatural look.

Draco did not answer her, he simply turned away, though he did not leave. He stared at the ground, then looked up at the castle, his eyes cloudy. He felt her hand on his arm, a light and gentle touch. He gave her a dry smile before he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her for all it was worth. His fingers ran through the strands of her hair, and he wrapped some pieces around his fingers as the kiss continued.

Ember had not expected this kiss, but that did not mean that she didn't enjoy it. She enjoyed it immensely, in fact. Her eyes closed and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and she couldn't help but part her lips in a slight smile. It was cold, yes, but that was merely a petty detail compared to the big picture.

"I'll stand by you. I won't let anybody hurt you. You know that." she whispered into the kiss, but the end of her question was muffled by the force of his lips, which seemed to crave her own. She felt her eyes go wide, but then they closed as his hands pulled her closer by her back.

"I know." Draco whispered hoarsely, breaking the kiss and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, his hand shaking a little.

"Let's go back to the castle." Ember took his hand and walked up the snowy hill, before they heard a yell and then a loud and raspy hiss, followed by a scream. These sounds caused a wild look to appear in Draco's eyes and he scanned the area, before seeing Katie Bell and Leann, making him turn and run quickly up the slope. He was followed quickly by Ember, who was using profanities that even most adults would have been shocked to hear.

"Draco! Draco slow down! SHIT!" Ember yelled as she tried to keep up, almost tripping in her heeled boots, but managing to stay balanced.

"The necklace- the cursed opal one- she touched it." Draco stuttered as they finally made it to the castle, both trying to catch their breaths.

"What did she ever do to you?" Ember panted, making light of the serious matter, coughing.

"It wasn't meant for her. It was meant for Dumbledore." Draco said, fear and guilt stricken.


End file.
